


Fighting For Paradise

by FantasyImmortal



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Blood and Injury, F/M, Mild Language, Minor Violence, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-22
Updated: 2017-09-22
Packaged: 2019-01-04 03:07:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12160287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FantasyImmortal/pseuds/FantasyImmortal
Summary: Luciel saved you and V from Magenta and brought you to a safe house. Your mind and heart however, are somewhere else. After an emotional phone call from Ray, your mind is set and you want nothing more than to go back and save him.





	Fighting For Paradise

                _‘Please…don’t leave me here…’_

                I hugged my phone to my chest as Ray’s tormented words echoed in my ear on a constant repeat. Tears began to pick my eyes as my heart beat painfully in my chest. “Oh Ray…” I looked up at the star-speckled sky while a tear slipped from my eyes. _I want to save you, Ray._ I took a deep breath and looked at my phone. My thumb hovered over the call button preparing to call him back.

                “Hey!”

                My head jerked in the direction of the voice. Using the sleeve of my shirt I quickly wiped my eyes to try to hide the tears that had slipped. “Vanderwood, right?”

                The soles of his shoes clunked against the wooden deck of the safe house Luciel had brought us to. His eyes narrowed while he looked me up and down. With a sigh he reached into his pocket, pulled out a handkerchief, and held it out to me while it was pinched between his index and middle finger.

                I gently took it from between his fingers. “Thank you…” He watched me carefully as I brushed the smooth fabric against my eyes.

                “Please go back inside.” He crossed his arms and glared at me. “That pain in my ass won’t work if you’re out here.”

                “Pain in…you mean Luciel?”

                He sighed again and nodded. “Now, please go inside.”

                “O-Okay...” I walked past him and turned around when I heard him move behind me. “Uhh… I am really going inside. You don’t need to follow me _that_ closely.”

                “Apologizes.” He ran his fingers through his long hair. “I’ve had to keep track of that monstrosity and he can be sneaky.” He walked ahead of me and opened the door to the cabin waiting for me to enter.

                I walked inside and sat in the chair beside the bed where V rested. I watched as Vanderwood did some miniscule checks on V’s condition. He pressed two fingers against the inside of V’s wrist and glanced up at me. “He’ll be fine.”

                “What?” I sat up straight at the sudden comment.

                “You look like you wanted to ask.” He stated before turning his attentions back to V.

                “Oh. I…thank you.” I looked away from V and down at my phone in my hands. “I’m glad he’ll be okay.” _But he’s not who I’m most worried about right now._

                “There’s nothing else I can do right now. Hey! Where are you going?!” Vanderwood shouted. I looked up and followed his line of sight. There, I saw Luciel casually opening the door.

                “Gah! I just need some air!” He yelled as he rushed outside.

                “Get back here!”

                I watched with widened eyes as Vanderwood raced after him. “I’m guessing that’s normal for them?” I looked back at V before I grabbed a washcloth and dabbed away the sweat that beaded his forehead. “The color is returning to his face little by little. That’s good.” _How much of this stuff have you taken, Ray? Are you in this much pain?_ My hand clenched around the washcloth. _I have to save him_.

                “Nnngh…_____?” V spoke weakly as he slowly opened his eyes.

                “Are you feeling better?” I asked him softly. He nodded his head silently before taking in a labored breath. “V… When you went to Luciel’s car, how did you get in? Wasn’t it locked?”

                “No…” He whispered as he sat up. I grabbed the glass on the table beside him and helped him drink some water. He pressed a hand to his head as his breath hissed between his teeth. “I took the keys to the car, why do you ask?”

                “I may want some time to myself too…”

                “That’s…understandable. You’ve been through so much in such a short time.” He reached into his pocket and I heard the jingle of keys as he placed them in my hand. “I’m sorry you’ve had to suffer on my account.”

                “It wasn’t on your account. You’re being way too hard on yourself V.” I reassured him. He gave me a semi smile before looking away. I sighed as a heavy silence descended upon us.

                “Okay, okay I’m going back…” Luciel’s voice rang out, shattering the silence. I quickly put the keys in my pocket and watched as Vanderwood trailed closely behind him. “Ahh, yay, yay! I’ve got it! I’m going! You can look at those images and work too ya know.” He told Vanderwood with a pouty voice as they walked into the other room and shut the door.

                “They’ll…be in there for a while.” V hissed in pain again as he laid back down.

                My hand clenched around the keys in my pocket. “Yeah…A few hours maybe?”

                “Probably…” V let out a ragged breath as he closed his eyes. “I need…to rest more.”

                “Yes. Rest V. You need to get better.” I sat back in my chair and waited for V’s breathing to even out, indicating that he was asleep. I leaned forward and chewed nervously on my lower lip. Standing up, I grabbed my phone and walked towards the bathroom.

                Turning on the faucet to the sink, I looked at myself in the mirror. I gasped as I splashed cold water on my face, trying to calm my nerves. Surely Ray was just misguided by Rika. Just in a constant state of illusion because of that elixir he was taking. Grabbing the hand towel that hung beside the sink, I patted my face dry. “The ‘savior’ loves him and gives him purpose?” I paused and looked at my reflection once again before glancing at my phone. “Ray, you’re so much more than your skills…”

                 Balling up the towel I threw it on the floor in frustration before turning off the faucet. Grabbing my phone I stuffed it into a separate pocket from the keys. I opened the door slightly, looking out to make sure V hadn’t moved. I turned my head, listening carefully. When I heard Luciel laughing and Vanderwood bickering I nodded and shut the door before turning the lock on the doorknob.

                I turned on the shower and gathered all the other towels in the bathroom. Folding one as tight as I could, I stuffed a corner of it underneath the door before arranging the others behind it. I then grabbed the rug and bunched it up behind the towels.

                “That should at least give a little resistance.” I whispered to myself as I rolled up my sleeves and opened the window. “It’ll be a tight fit but I can make it work.” Jumping up I started to ease myself out of the window.

                The hand I used to support myself on the windowsill slipped and I bit my lip to keep from screaming as I fell to the ground. I landed with a thud and moved quickly to press my back to the cabin as I slapped a hand over my mouth, the iron taste of blood spreading across my tongue. Gradually opening one eye I looked at my forearm and saw a small gash. “What a great start.” I murmure as I examined it. _It’s not bad, but I don’t have time to take care of it. I have to hurry._

                I rushed to the car and looked back towards the cabin to check for any signs of movement other than the room were Luciel and Vanderwood were. Not seeing anything I hadn’t seen before, I reached into my pocket and removed the car keys. I inserted the key into the lock on the door and turned it. Carefully I opened the door and sat in the driver’s and slid the key into the ignition. I turned it two clicks, enough to engage the battery and put the car in neutral.

                Getting back out I took a deep breath before I started to push the car forward. “Just…a little…ways away…from the…cabin.” I grunted as I continued to push the car, trying to keep a steady momentum going.

                After a few minutes I slipped back into the driver’s seat and started the car. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and kissed the screen. “I’m coming for you, Ray.” I whispered before putting the car in drive. “Sorry everyone.” I whispered as I looked in the rearview mirror and saw the lights of the cabin disappear behind the cover of the trees.

                The hours passed and I squinted at the road as I wracked my brain trying to recall the road Luciel took when we left _that_ place. Slowing down, I glanced at my phone and my heart raced when I saw that Ray had entered the chatroom. I pulled over to the side of the road to message him. My worry for him escalated when he started to tell me how much his head and body were hurting.

                “He’s here?” I read his message out loud unsure what he meant. I swallowed hard as I read what he was now writing. It was like a different person was speaking to me and this new person sounded dangerous. He was calling Ray an idiot and wanting him to shut up. My eyes widened as I read what he was saying. “Lock me up and use me as an assistant? Who is this?!”

                I let out a sigh of relief when he left the chatroom. _That couldn’t have been Ray_. I crossed my arms on the steering wheel and placed my forehead against them as I shut my eyes. “Oh, Ray are you in trouble?” My back straightened in an instant as an incoming call startled me. I cocked an eyebrow as I read ‘Unknown’ as the caller.

                I pressed the connect call button and before I could say hello a voice came from the other end of the line. It sounded like Ray but it also sounded like someone else. My heart leapt in joy…and fear as a chill ran down my spine. I surprised myself when my voice didn’t waver as I told him I wasn’t scared. He laughed and continued to talk to me, his voice laced with a frightening calmness.

                “Where’s Ray?”                                                       

**_“Ray? Getting some shut-eye, I guess. He’s been whining and crying and getting on my nerves… I hope he’d rest forever.”_**

                My free hand gripped the steering wheel tightly. _Rest forever? What’s going on?!_ His voice pulled me away from my thoughts when he said he had a sudden urge to tell me his goal. I absentmindedly pressed my phone tighter against my ear.

                **_“First I’m going to completely destroy the liar, and I’m going to take you.”_ ** When I didn’t reply he chuckled and continued to speak.

                **_“Excited, aren’t you? I’ll destroy V…that redhead…everyone! I wanna have you… No matter what. Didn’t Ray also say that?”_ ** I swallowed hard as his voice changed to something angry to something that sounded more alluring.

                **_“He might look tame, but you don’t know what he’s hiding inside. Do you want to know what he imagined about you? Don’t worry… I’ll tell you once I come to get you. If not, I can actually show them to you. So I hope you look forward to it. You’d better take good care of yourself until I come and get you…”_**

                His voice had a lingering warning and I glanced worriedly at the small gash in my forearm. I stared out, in a daze, at the stretch of road before me. The headlights only reached so far before the darkness swallowed the light. I slowly pulled my phone away from my ear and let out a long, shaky breath. I jumped when my hand released the phone and it fell against the center console.

                I shook my head and blinked rapidly as I repeatedly loosened and tightened my grip on the steering wheel. “Who was that?” Releasing my grip I ran my fingers through my hair as I tilted my head back and took a few deep breaths. Opening the car door I willed my body out into crisp night air.

                I wrapped my arms around my body and hugged myself as a chilling breeze rushed past me. Leaning against the car, I shivered slightly as I went over the phone call piece by piece in my mind. “Ray was…sleeping? But he sounded like Ray only…darker.” I remembered Rika’s words about the inner devil in everyone. “Could that have been Ray’s?”

                Pushing away from the car I walked to the middle of the road and looked in the direction the headlights pointed. I looked over my shoulder and saw more darkness than what was in front of me. I balled my fists and walked back to the car. I sat down and buckled my seat belt. “Don’t worry Ray, I will save both of you. I promise.” I shifted the car into drive and slammed my foot onto the gas pedal.

                The time passed slowly as the road continued to stretch on. I slowed down and leaned forward looking for the turn off. “I swear it’s here somewhere…I think. Everything looks the same.” I slammed on the breaks as I looked ahead and saw a bear start to cross the road. “Holy fuck!” I whispered breathing heavily as it looked my way before carrying on minding its own business.

                I watched the spot in the trees where it disappeared. I pressed a hand to my forehead and tried to calm my breathing down. “That was really close.” I whispered to myself. “That could’ve been bad.” I looked to the left side of the road where it originally came from and saw a small break in the trees. “Oh! There, maybe?”

                Turning the wheel I gently steered the car onto a partially hidden dirt road. It was very primitive and had no real smoothness to it at all. I glanced at my phone as it lit up the interior of the car. I slowed the car to a crawl, barely getting past the dips and bumps the tires hit. Picking the phone up I looked at the screen. I started at the numbers that read 707 and when I didn’t answer the call, the call connected on its own.

                **_“Where the fuck are you?! And where is my baby?!!”_**

                “U-Uhh… Well I’m…” I stuttered as I heard the sound of him typing.

**_“You’re going back?! Are you aware of the danger you’re putting yourself in after V risked his life for you?! After I came to help both of you!! Why would you—“_ **

                “I’m sorry!!” I held the phone away from my ear and screamed into the receiver. “I know what you two have done and I’m grateful! But… I have to save Ray!”

**_“The hacker… You’re risking your own wellbeing for the fucking hacker?!”_ **

                “Look I said I’m sorry but he needs help! Rika is manipulating him to take that drug and I can’t sit by with my thumb up my ass when I see how much pain V was in after taking it!” When silence was my reply, I realized that my voice was breaking with my emotions.

                **_“Haa...God. Don’t cry, okay?”_**

“I’m not…hic…crying!”

                **_“…You know you’re causing more work for me? You have no way to protect yourself and I’ll have to rescue all over again!”_**

I stayed silent as he lectured me unrelentingly. My eyes widened as I saw a building start to come into view. I pulled the car off the makeshift dirt road and killed the engine. I looked back towards the building and noticed it had a mint colored roof. I squinted and saw a plaque placed between the second and third floor windows that, I guessed, read “Mint Eye” though I couldn’t make it out clearly.

                “Luciel, I have to go now.”

                **_“_____! Don’t you dare hang—”_**

                I ended the call and slowly got out of the car. Hugging the tree line, I tried to stay as silent as possible. I had no idea where Ray was in the building and rushing in to look for him didn’t seem like a very good idea. _The garden seems like a good place to start. I’m pretty sure it was this way._   I continued to follow the tree line until I rounded the building.

                I felt my heart swell when I saw the flowers of the garden. The brilliant colors brought back the memory of our walk together. He looked so at peace and happy. I wanted to see that look again. I walked towards the garden and climbed over small decorative wall that encircled it.

                I stopped at a rose bush that bloomed the fiery orange roses he had sent me a picture of. Reaching out I used my thumbnail and carefully plucked one of the roses from the bush. I raised it to my nose and inhaled its sweet scent. _Together, Ray. We’ll plant a garden together._

                “You. You are…” I looked up when I heard a woman’s voice. She began to quickly walk towards me, a hood concealing her identity. “Mr. Ray will be pleased to see you again, so will our Savior.”

                “Y-Yes. I would like to see Ray please.”

                “She can’t.” A man’s voice rang out from behind us.

                "Number C276?” The woman turned and bowed their head slightly as the newcomer walked towards us. “I was just going to take her back to the room Mr. Ray had prepared for her.”

                “You can inform Mr. Ray that she has returned but she has yet to finalize her contract.”

                “Hey!” I called out when the man roughly grabbed my arm.

                “She left us and must otherwise be treated as a corruption to our paradise.”

                The woman’s fiddled her hands nervously. “I don’t think Mr. Ray will like it. He is very fond of her.”

                “So is our Savior but protocols must be followed. The Savior would be upset if we didn’t follow them. This woman needs saving.” His fingers dug into my arm as he began to drag me towards the building.

                I pulled against his grip. “Let go of me!”

                He turned to face me and grabbed my other arm as well. “You aren’t saved yet! But don’t worry we will bring you to salvation.”

                I winced as his grip on my arms tightened with every word he uttered. Kicking him in the shin I wrenched my arms free as he screamed out in pain. I looked at the rose in my hand and quickly weaved the stem between my fingers. When the man approached me again I lifted my hand and slapped him, using the thorns on the rose’s stem to my advantage.

                Rose petals fluttered to the ground from the contact. He held his left hand to his cheek as he cried out in pain. “You bitch! Our most drastic measures for salvation will have to be used for you.” He raised his right hand and with all the force he could muster he backhanded me. The strength of his hit left me dazed as I fell limply to the ground.

                “What is going on here?”

                I tried to hold onto my consciousness when I heard the familiar voice. I forced my eyes open slightly and saw Ray walking towards us. I wanted to smile but there was something different to him in the way he walked.

                “Mr. Ray!” The woman called as he stopped a few steps from me.

                I looked up at him, my vision starting to blur. His fist clenched before reaching into the jacket of his suit. My gasp caught in my throat as the metal of a gun glinted against the moonlight. The man who had hit me froze as the muzzle of the gun was pressed against his head.

                “M-Mr. Ray… P-please, she has to be saved.”

                “I’m aware.” Ray replied as he pulled the trigger. A dull click was heard and the man fell to his knees, his body trembling in fear. “Touch her again and you won’t be so lucky.” Ray threatened as he returned the gun to the hidden place in his suit. My eyelids felt heavy and fluttered closed as he knelt down and lifted me into his arms.


End file.
